Daily Current Affairs 9 December for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
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NATIONAL NEWS
Govt Unveils ‘Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar’ Project to Document Village Heritage
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, responsible for culture, tourism, and the development of the North Eastern Region, announced a groundbreaking project in the Rajya Sabha. The initiative, titled “Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar” (MGMD), is set to spotlight the cultural richness embedded in villages across the nation.
- The primary objective of MGMD is to make the wealth of information about Indian villages accessible to both virtual and real-time visitors.
- This aligns with the broader goals of the National Mission on Cultural Mapping, reflecting the government’s commitment to document and map the cultural diversity inherent in villages across the country.
Top-10 Safest Cities in India 2023 By NCRB Report 2023
According to the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), for the third consecutive year, Kolkata has secured its position as the safest city in India with the rate of recognizable crime (IPC) of 78.2. the city has demonstrated an outstanding achievement by registering the lowest number of cognizable offences per lakh population among metropolises, reaffirming its commitment to public safety.
- The NCRB report, titled “Crime in India 2022,” showcases Kolkata’s performance in maintaining law and order.Kolkata was followed by Chennai at 173.5, Coimbatore at 211.2 and Surat at 215.3
- The rankings were released following a study of 19 cities with more than 20 lakh populations. But as the number of incidents increased from 1,783 in 2021 to 1,890 in 2022, Kolkata saw a rise in crimes against women, according to the research.
Union Cabinet Allocates Rs 2,500 Crore for Extended Interest Equalisation Scheme
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sanctioned an additional Rs 2,500 crore for the Interest Equalisation Scheme. The scheme is extended until June 30, 2024, aiming to support exporters from specific sectors and all MSME manufacturer exporters.
- This would help exporters from identified sectors and all MSME manufacturer exporters to avail of pre and post-shipment Rupee export credit at competitive rates.
- The scheme shall be implemented by RBI through various Public and non-Public Sector banks who provide pre and post shipment credit to the exporters. The Scheme is jointly monitored by DGFT and RBI through a consultative mechanism.
Ministry of Defence Inks ₹588 Crore Pact with TCIL for Digital Transformation of Indian Coast Guard
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently signed a significant contract worth ₹588.68 crore with Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) for the implementation of the “Digital Coast Guard (DCG)” project. This initiative is a crucial step towards bolstering the Indian Coast Guard’s technological capabilities.
- Under the “Buy (Indian)” category, the DCG project aims to establish a centralized monitoring and management system for the Indian Coast Guard’s applications and assets. The project encompasses various key components to advance the technological landscape of the ICG.
BANKING & FINANCE
‘Green Rising’ Initiative Launched To Empower Youth In Meaningful Eco Initiatives
At UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited, in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, unveiled the “Green Rising“ initiative. The GRIA aims to equip 50 million children and young people to become climate conscious, adaptable, and resilient by 2030.
- This is part of the global ‘Green Rising’ campaign that supports youth-led climate action which was launched at RewireED hosted by the COP28 Presidency at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in the UAE.
- This groundbreaking initiative, carried out through India’s YuWaah campaign, places a special emphasis on engaging youth in impactful environmental actions at the grassroots level, drawing inspiration from the Mission Life movement.
IDFC FIRST Bank Unveils Youth-Centric “FIRST SWYP” Credit Card in Collaboration with Mastercard
IDFC FIRST Bank has introduced youth-centric “FIRST SWYP” credit card in partnership with Mastercard.This card can be used as a no-interest charge card and has curated features — flexible bill repayments through EMIs, a benefit-laden referral program, and exclusive and relevant merchant partnerships, per a Bank statement.
- The card will address demands of new-age customers, blending benefits across their favorite categories of spends and lifestyle-related offers and innovative propositions, it added.
- The new card is the Bank’s second youth-focussed credit card. It had earlier launched “FIRST Millennia Credit Cards”.
RBI hikes UPI limit for hospital, educational payments
The Reserve Bank of India raised the UPI payment limits to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh earlier. While making the announcement, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that it will allow consumers to make higher UPI payments for education as well as medical purposes.
- According to the official website of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the UPI transaction limit for normal payments is up to Rs 1 lakh per transaction. For some specific categories of transactions in UPI, like capital markets, collections, insurance, and foreign inward remittances, the transaction limit is up to 2 lakh. For Initial Public Offering (IPO) and Retail Direct Scheme, the limit is up to Rs 5 lakh per transaction.
- In another key announcement related to digital payments, RBI Governor Das proposed to hike the e-mandate for recurring payments to Rs 1 lakh from current Rs 15,000 for mutual funds, insurance premiums and credit card payments.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
India’s Forex Reserves Surpass $600 Billion Mark After Four-Month Interval
India’s foreign exchange reserves have witnessed a notable upswing, reaching $604 billion as of December 1, marking a significant milestone after a four-month hiatus.
- The last instance of the reserves crossing the $600 billion threshold was recorded on August 11 earlier this year.The reserves were USD 597.935 billion in the preceding week ended November 24.
- In October 2021, the country’s foreign exchange kitty had reached an all-time high of USD 642 billion. The reserves took a hit as the central bank deployed the reserves to defend the rupee amid pressures caused majorly by global developments since last year.
APPOINTMENTS
Tribal veteran Vishnu Deo Sai chosen as the new Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
The Bharatiya Janata Party chose Vishnu Deo Sai, a party veteran and former Union Minister, as the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
- He will be the central Indian State’s fourth Chief Minister, and the first tribal leader to hold the post. He is also the first to hail from a region beyond the Other Backward Class-dominated central plains in Chhattisgarh’s 23-year-old history.
- The MLA from Kunkuri, a reserved constituency in the hilly northern tribal belt of Sarguja from where the BJP won all 14 seats in the recent election, was unanimously chosen as the BJP’s Legislative Party leader at a meeting held in the presence of central observers in the party headquarters at Raipur.
AWARDS
Federal Bank Titled “Bank of the Year 2023” in India : The Banker
In a momentous achievement, Federal Bank, a prominent financial institution, has been awarded the prestigious title of “Bank of the Year (India)” by The Banker, a renowned publication under the Financial Times umbrella.
- This accolade, one of the few global awards recognizing banks on a worldwide scale, reflects Federal Bank’s exceptional commitment to innovation, customer-centric services, and its outstanding contributions to the banking industry in the past year.